Anxiety in adults - Tips

I have had anxiety with meltdowns, mainly as an adult. I don't know about other Aspie adults, but I have found that my anxiety has got worse as I get older. But I have found ways to cope with the anxiety. Here are the situations I have been in and my tips to cope with them.

1. Shopping – Always take more money than is needed. This was the situation I was in when I had my first meltdown and had gone shopping on my own for the first time. I didn't have enough money to buy the tapestry threads I wanted, which upset me greatly.

2. Shopping with someone else – Arrange to meet at a certain point in the shop or outside if you get separated.

3. Going to a new place - Work out times and transport to get there. Leave with plenty of time, especially if it's for an appointment. When there, take a map. Make a note of any landmarks eg a shop or statue, so you know where you are going.

4. Job interview application – If you feel it will help you, then do put down on the form that you have Asperger's/autism, and explain how it affects you, what they can do to help you in the interview. Eg eyes, questions etc. Familiarise yourself with the place and job. If you don't understand a question, ask them to repeat it but in simple language. I recall the last interview I had when I only suspected I had Asperger's. A couple of the questions I took too long to answer and replied wrongly. If I had asked for it to be repeated simply, I might have got a different outcome – fail. As it was, I didn't get the job. It turned out to be the right thing in the end, as I got the time to find out about myself more and get diagnosed.

5. Appointments running late – This one really makes me anxious and worked up. If your appointment is running v late, do tell the consultant when you see them. They will understand, and hopefully will arrange your next appointment to be at an earlier time in the day.

Do you find anxiety is worse as an adult? How do you cope?

Elite Marketing Pro - What it has done for me.

A couple of months ago I entered a new business venture: attraction marketing called Magnetic Sponsoring, Elite Marketing Pro being one of their products. I first went into it on their 10 day trial for $10 (about £8). As from a previous post, you can read that I got three leads from that period, which amazed me. I was then going to exit it out of it, but read that you can get results if you stay in it. So I stayed for another month. Then I took a gamble and decided to stay for a whole year paying a lot more money. I am pleased that I did, because not only have I learnt a lot, but things are just hotting up there, with EMP about to go into real business - it has only been in beta mode until now. If you have seen any of my posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ etc (I've been getting about), you will have seen me promote it. If you have and still not sure what to do about it, here is my take on what I have learnt from being an affiliate of EMP.

1. I first went into it as a possible way to earn residual money to support my writing. I haven't earned any yet but it's early days since I started my new campaign (another post). But I have learned something else - how to brand myself using FB and PInterest (another post) from an idea from Rebecca Woodhead (fantastic coach). This will be a special document for anyone who joins my team.

2. The other thing I have learned is that it is a great team of marketers I belong to, and they are always inspiring and encouraging us newbies that we can do it if we try. I have made a few online friends there, and really like being on the FB group. You can too, if you join now.

3. It has given me the courage to possibly try new ways to market myself and my brand. Eg FB ads and videos (yet to do that but will soon). As someone with Asperger's Syndrome, I find it hard to communicate with people inc on the phone, but last week on a coaching phone session with Rebecca Woodhead, I spoke lots about marketing. My mum said to me afterward that she's not heard me talk so much. I replied I can if it's something to do with what I like doing eg writing.

So, if you have heard all the buzz about EMP on the net and not sure about it, go for it. I did, and have made friends, learnt more about myself and marketing and how I can help others. This is the main reason I am staying in EMP because I want to help others with marketing, esp online being an indie author of ebooks I know some about it. So, come and join a great team. Have fun, make friends, learn about marketing. See you at

http://julieaday.elitemarketingpro.com.

New Business Venture - The First 10 Days

Last time I posted about this, I had only just begun this new venture. I hadn't any leads/customers to help or promote to. Now things have changed. Within the last week I now have 3 leads. One of them I have been in contact with, but she is busy working on edits of her book to do the course and wants to do it later on. I said OK, but gave her the link of the course I was promoting anyway. The other two I have emailed to introduce myself but not heard back. I have just read the book 'How to Build a Home Business on a Budget', one of the products I am promoting. A great read and very helpful. In that, I read that they keep in contact with their clients (me) leads after the initial contact from me. So I hope that is the case. Meanwhile I keep on emailing and putting messages on FB about the products I am selling.  There are two things that I have learnt most from the ebook above: 1. Be yourself when emailing 2. Customers are interested in what it can do for them not about you. So, in future I will be myself by mentioning I have Asperger's as that is me, and appeal to others interest in wanting to learn.

So, I will probably post again in a few weeks time about this. By then the trial will have finished, and the proper price will take affect. I have decided to stay with it for a while, as others have said that is when you can earn the money. I am in it to learn from others, and hopefully earn money to help support my writing career.

Making a living as a writer

On Wednesday evening I went to a talk by Jane Clarke and Lorna Ferguson about making a living as a writer for children. I suppose some of this can be said for writing for adults too.

Money - Jane gets most of her income from school visits, and Lorna gets hers from teaching English.

Opportunities - Jane has an agent. It was her agent who sent her the outline for the Dinosaur Cove series, and as Jane loves dinosaurs she said yes. She tried for it and got through to the second round. As she is someone who does what edits she's told to do, she did that and got through. You can register your interest with Working Partners, whom she works with for the Dinosaur series, and Hothouse. She said that her word limit for writing for other people is 10,000. For Early Readers you must have an agent, as they come with a secrecy code.
Lorna - With her consultancy Fictionfire, she said that in theory it works but not in practice, esp if she has lots of courses to do. She has written in the middle of the night. She has fallen asleep watching the news, then wakes up and gets a second wind to write. Sets targets of words.

Making Money - How long before made money? Jane said 5 years = 8 books before she went full-time. It was working part-time in a library before that.
Lorna gave us some statistics from the Society of Authors in 2007. Then advances were no more than £5000 and in instalments in 3 parts. And then you have to earn those out. Hardback = 10% paperback = 5%. ALCS reported that median income was £4000. The top 10% of authors got more than 10% and the bottom 10% got less than 10%. (Made me think - I want to stick to being an indie author). Lorna also said that she wants to write as most do fro the freedom to write more. Said be realistic. Her main income comes from Fictionfire.

Need support - Jane said hard to answer as her husband died 11 years ago but left her life insurance so she could pay the mortgage. Lorna said she does get support from her husband as he believes in her and is behind Fictionfire. He's the first person to read her work.

I think I will continue this post tomorrow. So see you then.